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US accused of interfering in Hungarian affairs

October 19th, 2015

In a comment on a recently leaked 2014 diplomatic document handed over by US diplomats to the Hungarian government demanding legislative and policy changes, a pro-government columnist accuses the US of pressurising the democratically elected Hungarian government while promoting US interests.

On Thursday, Mandiner published a document apparently forwarded by the US Embassy to the Hungarian government in October last year. The unsigned “non-paper” was dated October 21st 2014, three days after the US banned a number of Hungarian officials and businessmen suspected of corruption (see BudaPost October 20, 2014). The document calls for the amendment of the electoral law and the inclusion of the opposition parties as well as NGOs in decision making. In addition, it demands the restoration of checks and balances, the retraction of the ad tax levied on media companies and less government control over the media. 

In Magyar Idők, Ottó Gajdics likens the non-paper to the dictates of the Red Army and interprets the document as proof of the US’ intention to interfere in Hungarian internal affairs. The pro-government commentator thinks that in light of this document, the State Department accused Hungarian officials of corruption and banned them from the US only in order to pressurise the Hungarian government to enact legislation serving American interests. Gajdics contends that such interference disregards national self-determination and is contrary to the basic principles of democracy.

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